Suddenly, this weekend, Spring was all about us: sun, and warmth, and friends strolling the streets in the balmy air, the bustle of the farmers’ market, green green Green-Up bags marking the spoor of industrious volunteers, fantastic animals parading for All-Species Day, new flowers blooming and new trees planted on the streets. May is our reward for lasting out another Vermont winter — even if this winter was hardly a winter at all compared to old-time winters!

In a very few short weeks the re-Builders of (58) Barre Street will pack up their tools and ride off into the sunset, their job done.

New front doors awaiting installation

Remember in a previous post we learned that replacing the front door would be one of the last steps in the rebuilding? Well, on Friday what did we see? Look on the right. Time is getting short.

And our job isn’t done. Rebuilding the Center cost about $1.8 million. No property taxes were used to pay for that; most of the expense was covered by fire insurance, grants, and the Center endowment, and a small fraction by donations. But those donations are important! Whatever we do not cover with donations will have to come out of the Center’s already severely depleted endowment fund.

If you read last week’s article in The Bridge or look at our site Thermometer for early May you know that, after almost a year of fundraising, we still are short almost $30,000 on the construction costs — plus roughly $15,000 on campaign costs that had been planned to be covered by grants. Read The Bridge and click on Our Story and this early post for more details.

Those of you who sail a boat or are in emergency services — or who grew up devouring adventure comics like your intrepid reporter — already know the other meaning of “Mayday!”

OUR MISSION: To enhance the quality of life for older adults in Montpelier through opportunities that develop physical, mental, cultural, social, and economic well being in a welcoming, flexible environment.